by Adam Benson
"Yes sir." Major Marcel said, heading toward the bulkhead door.
When they got to the door, they could see that it had been pried opened by someone. It was almost too small an opening for either of them to make it through, but the door refused to budge any further than it already had, so they did their best to squeeze through it.
The other side of the door was a small, tightly cramped room. There was a large piece of machinery that took up most of the available space in the room. It was covered in pipes and tubing and had all manner of gadgets and gizmos attached to it.
"This must be the engine!" Sheridan exclaimed.
Their shoulders were both pressed against the ceiling, they were bent over as far as they both could stand being, and yet they were pressed shoulder to shoulder in the very limited space.
"It does look that way." Jesse agreed. "Funny looking engine." He went on moving his flashlight around the large device. "I wonder what powers it?"
"Me too, sir."
“Let's move on." Major Marcel ordered.
When they went through the next portal, they came across a mostly empty room. Daylight poured in from the tear in the ship, and what had been darkness to them before was now completely lit and obvious. There on the floor, tucked as far back in the small space as they could be, were three sealed bags about three or four feet long.
"Body bags?" Cavitt said with alarm.
"Looks like." Major Marcel agreed. He stepped forward with his flashlight and nodded to Sheridan to un-holster his pistol. Sheridan pulled his gun out and trained it on the bags in front of them. "Looks like those bags I found up in the first room we searched." He said, creeping up to the bag.
He grabbed the first bag he came to and tried pulling it toward him. It was heavy with dead weight. When he had it in his hand, he set his flashlight down so that it pointed at the bag in front of him, and began looking for a way to open it. He felt around finding nothing for a few seconds, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a Swiss army knife. He pushed the blade into the bag, but the bag refused to be punctured.
"It's like that piece the rancher had." Jesse said nervously working with the unrelenting dark grey bag. "Won't open, and I can’t cut it. At least not with this." He began feeling around at the contents of the vacuum sealed bag. With his fingers, he could make out a head. It was larger than he would have expected it to be. Feeling down the head he came to what felt like a jaw. He poked a couple of fingers and the bag into what felt like the jaw opening and moved it about a bit inside of its cocoon. It moved like a jaw. He felt down the body some more. A small slender neck greeted his fingers next, followed by a small and round pair of what felt like shoulders. The shoulders moved down to slender arms. Everything he felt told him that this was a dead body, but nothing he felt told him it was human.
Major Marcel stood up quickly, banging his head on the ceiling. He turned around quickly to Captain Cavitt. In the flashlight beam his face looked as white as a ghost, and Captain Cavitt's blood thinned at the sight of him.
"What is it sir?!" Cavitt asked more nervously than ever.
"Go! Get the Jeep and take it back to base. Tell the general we have a code 51 alert and we need a full containment team down here on the double!" Major Marcel ordered, already beginning to leave the compartment himself.
"But sir, what is it?" Captain Cavitt asked. He glanced one more time at the body bags lying quietly in the back of the small compartment before he himself followed Major Marcel out into the bright daylight.
Taking the Chronis
Most of the day had passed and Jesse was still waiting for Sheridan to return with a support team to catalogue and collect the wreckage of the alien spaceship. He spent hours digging around inside the ship, studying every detail, but making little sense of any of it. He was confused more by what seemed to be missing than by what was there.
In the afternoon, Jesse wandered around outside in the debris field. He noticed details about the crash site that had eluded him in the excitement of the morning. There was more here than a strangely piled up flying saucer crash. There were three different sets of footprints weaving here and there around the debris field. Two of them seemed to predominate the other, making up the bulk of the prints that Jesse noticed around the wreckage.
He followed the largest of the two predominate sets of footprints around the ship until he came to a place where the footsteps stopped seemed to stir for a while. “What were they doing here?” he asked himself as looked around at the two piles of debris that had obviously been sifted through. The footprints continued on around after a while, and so Jesse continued on along the path. He came around to the far side of the wreckage where the footprints suddenly combine with a large area of intertwining prints that went all over. “This is where they spent most of their time.” He mumbled to himself.
He looked wide at everything around him, and he started to see things from a different perspective. There were hiding spots all around him, but not many. Large boulders, patches of trees and grass, but otherwise the whole area was open desert. He scoured the desert looking for something alien. In such a remote place, with only a few places to hide they had to be here, and they had to be watching him now. Paranoia crept into him as he suddenly realized how alone he was in a vast desert with unknown, highly advanced creatures watching him.
His eyes locked on to a distinctive set of three prints that seemed to move fast out into the desert. He followed it with his eyes where the trail seemed to meet with a clump of trees off in the desert. He looked at the clump and felt afraid that they might be looking right back at him.
Suddenly, something banged loudly in the distance behind him. His attention snapped off of the trail and went straight over to the rock outcropping. The sound was quickly accompanied by the rumble of a diesel engine as the first of a series of trucks came driving down the dirt road.
Jesse turned and ran across the wreckage and up the rocky hill. When he got to the top, he could see the small armada of trucks approaching from the dusty desert road. He walked down through the grassy field beyond the rocks and met with the road just as Sheridan’s Jeep came to a halt.
“Good afternoon Major,” Sheridan said as he leapt from the Jeep. “I’ve got you sixteen men, two flatbeds, two box trucks and some lighting and utility trucks coming up behind me now.”
“Good work, Captain,” he replied. “Did the General brief the men?”
“He only told them that it was a Top-Secret Recovery mission. You’re supposed to brief them in the field.” Sheridan told him.
“Alright, well, get them lined up,” Jesse said. “Captain, I think they’re still here.”
“Who?” Sheridan asked.
“The aliens that crashed this ship, who do you think?” Jesse said. “There’s not many places to hide here. I want to get some of these men on that trail first thing.”
“Yes, sir,” Sheridan said.
“If we can catch them alive…” he said trying to mask his excitement.
“Yes, sir!”
“Get them ready. We’ve got a big night ahead of us!”
Flashbulbs popped brightly into the dusk as the first wave of men pushed out into the desert photographing, cataloging and collecting everything that they came across. Four of the men moved up the hill on the lee side of the rock outcropping with cameras, notepads, grease pencils and large bags. Jesse sent four others into the wreckage to retrieve the three bodies and put them on ice. Four of the men he sent to set up temporary infrastructure, setting up lights, generators and mobile tents.
Jesse took Sheridan and four other men with flashlights and side arms to the place where the footprints led off into the desert. “We have footprints heading north-west toward that tree line,” he said pointing off into the desert. “We have two, possibly three creatures of unknown origin hiding in the desert now. There are not many places to hide. This is open terrain, and we are going to find them.” He turned and faced the men with their dumbfounded expressi
ons as they tried to take in the gravity of everything around them. “I have reason to believe that they may still be in the area, and it’s possible that one of them may be injured. Some of the footprints drag like a limp, and there are traces of blood in some areas of the site.”
“Major?” One of the men said from the squad.
“Yes, Private?” Jesse replied.
“Are you talkin’ about Martians?” the Private asked.
“Is that really a flyin’ saucer?” said someone else.
Jesse smiled sternly and then stepped up to the squad. “Gentlemen, as I said in our brief, this site is extraterrestrial in origin. Yes, Private, I am talking about Martians, but we’re not going to refer to them as ‘Martians’, because we do not know where these beings are from. It’s doubtful that they’re actually from Mars. Where ever they are from they’re highly advanced, and you can bet that they’re well-armed, and watching us right now.”
Thalia’s breathing was getting heavier as she saw the group of six men lining up around the edge of the crash, facing out into the desert with lights and weapons. She wanted to stand up and watch them directly with her enhanced vision, but it was too dangerous, and so she stayed glued to her hologram.
It looks like they are headed out to where Nocta died. Dayk said closely monitoring the group as well.
It won’t take them long to figure out that’s a dead end. Thalia said. She took a quick peak over the rock they hid behind in the bramble. In her glance, she saw the six men standing much closer than it felt like they were in her hologram. Dhregh! She yelled telepathically. The thought carried with it all kinds of fearful images as Thalia had a moment of panic.
It’s going to be fine! Dayk said. Look. They’re starting to head further away from us. We’ll use this chance to sneak off further out into the desert. We’ll…
Thalia suddenly cut him off mid thought. What’s he pointing at?
Dayk looked back at his hologram and saw the leader of the search team pointing directly off toward them. Dhregh. He thought as he watched three of the men break away from the group and start cautiously moving around the perimeter. Alright. We’re going to have to leave now! Close your hologram!
Do we use our cloaks? Thalia asked.
Not yet. Dayk said as he stood up in the bramble. Follow me. And I mean it, take every step I take, no matter what!
Without cloaks? Thalia said, standing up to follow him.
Not yet! Dayk said. Stay close!
Dayk quietly pushed his way out of the bramble and out into clump of mesquite trees that surrounded their hiding place. He walked purposefully along the dustier parts of the ground and walked out of the trees and further out into the desert. The dusky twilight was filling up with shadows and from the back side of the trees he was willing to risk a little more exposure. Thalia stepped in every footprint that Dayk left behind.
“I got more footprints headin’ off into the desert!” One of the three men yelled as he quickened his pace toward the prints. “There’s two of them headin’ off toward this clump of trees.”
“Stay on them!” Major Marcel yelled at a distance.
The three men moved quickly into the desert following the footprints. Their flashlights bounced around the desert casting moving shadows on an already deeply shadowed terrain. “We need some dogs out here.” Private Harrison told the other two Privates running along with him.
“I think the Major sent someone back to get some.”
“Well, it’s already gonna be damn near impossible to find them out here at night as it is,” he replied.
They came up to the clump of trees and followed the footprints down into the bramble with their eyes. “You think they’re still in there?”
“I don’t know.”
“There’s one way to find out,” one of the men said as he slowly drew his gun.
“No! Mosby! Major said we weren’t allowed to shoot ‘em,” said Private Calhoun.
“I ain’t gonna shoot ‘em.” Private Mosby said sarcastically. “Just fire a round off. The noise might spook the little bastards.”
“Private Mosby, put your side arm away.” Private Harrison ordered.
Private Mosby sneered at him as he holstered his weapon. All three of their flashlights were locked onto the place where the footprints went down into the bramble. “Well, who’s going down there?” he asked.
“You should go,” Calhoun said to Mosby.
“You found ‘em Harrison.” Mosby said.
Private Harrison locked eyes with Private Mosby and then cool headedly got down on his belly and shown his light into the bramble. “There’s a stone, and there might be something behind there, but I can’t be sure.” He stood up and brushed himself off quickly. “Come on. It leads out on the other side.
Harrison led the men down into the clump of trees and around to the other side of the bramble. It was much darker in the trees than it had been just moments before. Their hearts pounded in their chests as they came around to the other side where they could clearly see anything that might be hidden there.
“Looks like something sat in there for a while.” Mosby said, as he looked at wear patterns in the dirt. “It’s all patted down everywhere.”
“The footprints go back out that way!” Calhoun said as he pointed out deeper into the desert.
“Let’s go.” Harrison said as he led them out of the trees.
Dayk continued leading Thalia into the desert. He left big footprints everywhere he went, and Thalia followed close behind, occupying the same prints. The sunlight was almost gone, and they saw primarily through their enhanced vision as they moved along in the dark.
This should do it. Dayk said as he stopped, both feet planted side by side, in the desert. Follow me up. He said, and then jumped up onto a stone that lay very near him there in the desert. He stepped back along the surface of the large stone to give Thalia space to jump up.
We’re taking rocks from here? She asked.
Yes, from here out we stay only on paths that won’t leave footprints. Dayk said as he scanned the horizon. There, five meters east. There’s a place to hide out for a while. He stepped across to another stone and continued on that way toward the bush and boulder that stood barely tall enough to hide one of them.
Suddenly, just a few meters west of where they stood, three men with flashlights burst through the tree and flashed their lights out into the desert.
Cloaks?! Thalia asked frantically.
Cloaks! Dayk agree.
With a thought, the device on his suit powered up and spoke to him telepathically, Reserve Power: 99% - Eminent Cloak Field: 1.187 Meters – Status: Ready.
Activate cloak! Dayk thought to the device and in a nanoChron he disappeared into darkness. In a chron Thalia vanished before his eyes, disappearing behind her own cloak.
Can you hear me? Came a shallow voice from the telepathic ether.
Barely, but you’re there. Can you hear me? Dayk asked. They were standing right next to each other, but the cloaking device warped almost every kind of wave form around itself within a specific radius. Their telepathic communications were heavily dampened by the field and their thoughts were almost inaudible.
Barely. Said the thin reply.
It’s going to be very difficult to stay in communication with the cloaks on. Dayk yelled telepathically. From here out we move together, and cautiously.
Understood. She replied.
I am heading toward the rocks, eighty-seven degrees east of our current position, four point three six meters away. Dayk said.
I’ll meet you there. Thalia thought.
Stay on the rocks! Dayk ordered.
They crept along invisibly, trying not to leave any footprints behind as they went. Within a few chrons they were at their destination, but there was no rocky path that lead directly up to the hiding place. We’re going to have to leave a few prints, I’m afraid. Dayk yelled.
I’ll follow yours. Thalia yelled back.
Dayk mov
ed cautiously along to the edge of the stony path, where the rocks met the small ledge, and he side stepped his way through the dirt until he was able to sneak behind the bush and lean his back against the low stone wall behind him. Thalia? He called out, but there was no reply. He saw a small amount of dusk kick up as she stepped into one of his footprints. Thalia? He called again.
I’m here. Where are you? She asked.
Against the wall behind the bush. He answered.
“This way!” Private Harrison yelled as he stalked the aliens out into the growing night.
“There ain’t much out this way.” Private Mosby said.
“The footprints are leadin’ out this way.” Harrison called back. He kept moving quickly along the path until suddenly the footprints stopped, as though they were standing there waiting for him. “Hold up!” He yelled as he stopped on the path. “The path stopped. Everybody look around for other prints.”
The three men scattered, shining their lights out into the desert searching for where the path picked up, but the footprints ended cold. "Wait a sec. I think I've got one." Calhoun said. His flashlight was trained on a spot on the ground only some two or three meters away from them. "Yeah, they pick up right here." His light flashed right toward Dayk and Thalia. Then as soon as it's blinding beam appeared, it was back on the ground following the remaining footsteps back to where they were.
"Are the prints going back toward the ship?" Harrison asked.
"Well, they're heading that direction." Calhoun said. "They go into that bush."
"Anything back there?" The hot beam of the flashlight glared right at them, focusing on one of Thalia's footprints that was only centimeters away from where her own foot probably was, but the light passed right through both of them. It was impossible to know for sure with the cloaking device activated.
Both Dayk and Thalia held their breath and stood still as stones. Their rebreather masks could be heard with a deep breath and moving so much as a centimeter could kick up enough dust to give them away, but fortunately they didn't have long to stand there.
